Bahamas to allow fully vaccinated travelers to bypass PCR testing requirement

[not-enough-cruising]

2 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Not for entering the Bahamas, but for getting on the ship

 

Bahamas - 5 day old or less PCR tests for all those over age 10.

RC - Vaccinations for those 18+ and TBD time frame PCR tests for those under 18

 

Now the only gaps are for those under 18, specifically under 10.

The point is these rules did not conflict. 
 

Bahamian rules are for entering the country. 
 

RC rules are for boarding the ship. 
 

One has to follow both. 

[smokeybandit]

3 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

The point is these rules did not conflict. 
 

Bahamian rules are for entering the country. 
 

RC rules are for boarding the ship. 
 

One has to follow both. 

 

Yes, but they *do* conflict since Bahamas entry requirements were actually more lax (but in a way more logistically annoying). Obviously the two entities didn't intentionally have different requirements, but the fact they do made the travel process more difficult, especially families.

 

Now since they're more in line, it makes the whole process much simpler.

Edited April 21, 2021 by smokeybandit

[At Sea At Peace]

14 minutes ago, dswallow said:

 

So people from Arizona (and Florida) will get taken aside for antibody testing more often. 🙂

What I wonder sometimes is if people who think up these stupid wastes of time worrying about things like verifiable proof of vaccination have ever traveled to countries where there have been vaccination requirements for decades. It's not a new concept. And in the cut-off-your-nose-to-spite-your-face role many of these politicians find themselves in, the vaccinations are for the protection of the traveler as much as, if not moreso than those in the area where they are traveling.

There's so much more important stuff to be worrying over, which I suppose is why they don't pay any attention to it because it would show how useless they are doing anything concrete. Like fixing potholes in roads, or bridges that are falling down, et. al.

 

11 minutes ago, joepeka said:

Totally agree with you. The logic being used, which I don't necessarily agree with, is "protection of private medical information." As you mention, proof of vaccination has been a requirement in many countries for decades.

 

FYI, those of in states that do not "require a vaccination card" for any purpose, or who "prohibit the requirement to have one," doesn't mean we don't have proof of our vaccinations.

 

Yikes.

 

We too have cards, and we also have online access to our CDC VAMs verification and also our access online to our State site verification.

 

Don't let the above facts get in the way of the mud throwing.

 

 

[dswallow]

8 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Not for entering the Bahamas, but for getting on the ship

 

Bahamas - 5 day old or less PCR tests for all those over age 10.

RC - Vaccinations for those 18+ and TBD time frame PCR tests for those under 18

 

Now the only gaps are for those under 18, specifically under 10.

 

Where I currently see holes, if not quite conflicts, in policies are:

- Those 16 or 17 who ARE vaccinated.

- Potentially those 12, 13, 14 and 15 who ARE vaccinated, since we might see approval for this happen soon.
- Timetables for testing of those "Under 18" as required by Royal Caribbean.
- Any potential changes to testing requirements to match the same exceptions on those under 10 that The Bahamas permits without testing.
- Perhaps more detail about any allowances for anyone unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons (other than currently the "contact the special needs department" statement).

 

Any others anyone can think of?

[dswallow]

2 minutes ago, At Sea At Peace said:

 

 

FYI, those of in states that do not "require a vaccination card" for any purpose, or who "prohibit the requirement to have one," doesn't mean we don't have proof of our vaccinations.

 

Yikes.

 

We too have cards, and we also have online access to our CDC VAMs verification and also our access online to our State site verification.

 

Don't let the above facts get in the way of the mud throwing.

 

 

 

Oh, I know that. Hence the smiley face there and the way that particular conversation had progressed was through talk about how to identify fake vaccination proof -- i.e., randomly pull aside people to confirm their claim in some way, to the extent that a state wasn't providing some way to prove vaccination that wasn't as simple to counterfeit as the paper CDC cards.

[joepeka]

6 minutes ago, At Sea At Peace said:

 

 

FYI, those of in states that do not "require a vaccination card" for any purpose, or who "prohibit the requirement to have one," doesn't mean we don't have proof of our vaccinations.

 

Yikes.

 

We too have cards, and we also have online access to our CDC VAMs verification and also our access online to our State site verification.

 

Don't let the above facts get in the way of the mud throwing.

 

 

Agree and we too have our vaccination cards and access to our state's immunization system. It just seems counterproductive to for state governments to behave like ours is currently.

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, molly361 said:

Are you taking one of those out of Nassau?

 

Not yet, if I did it would be for the novelty

[TheMastodon]

1 hour ago, dswallow said:

So, this was welcome news to see this morning. 🙂
 

 

PM: Bahamas to allow fully vaccinated travelers to bypass PCR testing requirement – Eye Witness News (ewnews.com)

 

Wow, someone with common sense.

 

Going to be some triggered members on here!!!

[TheMastodon]

1 hour ago, Sky616 said:

Yep, I;ll be getting one.

Only a matter of time before they start selling them at flea markets and on the streets.  

[molly361]

11 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Not yet, if I did it would be for the novelty

I'm starting to think about doing it.  I must have severe cabin fever😇

[bstel]

1 hour ago, The Grumpus said:

Is the only way to prove of vaccination the little paper card they give out after the shot(s)?

probably depends on the State.  when I got vaccinated in Virginia, I got the card and they wrote the dates and type of vaccine on the card for both shots.  Then the State also sent me an email after each shot with a link, with the detailed information of the vaccination (date, name, SSN, manufacturer, lot #, etc).  

 

Honestly for these first early cruises I would still hope that RCCL would still require at least a rapid test prior to boarding since the vaccines are 100% nor can we trust everyone to be truthful about the vaccine since those cards are so easy to forge.

[dswallow]

I pity the person who presents falsified vaccination records to enter the country or to board the cruise ship and then gets infected and in researching contacts and medical history is discovered, and prosecuted.

[bstel]

3 minutes ago, dswallow said:

I pity the person who presents falsified vaccination records to enter the country or to board the cruise ship and then gets infected and in researching contacts and medical history is discovered, and prosecuted.

hell, if I got COVID on a cruise, from a passenger that lied about the vaccine, I would try and sue the individual as well

[Keksie]

2 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

Instead of the PCR test, you have to take an antibody test?  😀

 A vaccinated person is very likely to get a negative result from a serology test, even if the vaccine was successful and protective.  Therefore if you have had a Moderna or Pfizer vaccine it will not result in showing that you have been vaccinated.  They will have to develop and use another test to prove vaccination.

[ArthurUSCG]

2 hours ago, The Grumpus said:

Is the only way to prove of vaccination the little paper card they give out after the shot(s)?

Nope, your state has a digital record of the vaccination. I'm guessing as part of the travel visa application approval process, they will request verification from the state or require an offical WHO "Yellow Card", aka the original Vaccine passport, since 1933.

[B Midged]

2 hours ago, RFerrington said:

Even though we are not getting vaccinated, we both have an International Certificate of Vaccination and Prophylaxis (ICVP) that has been completed and signed by our physicians.  We both have medical exemptions as well as being on a prophylaxis.  It will be interesting to see how Royal handles these "exceptions".  We aren't traveling out of the country (right now, at least) to board a cruise so not worried about the Bahamas or Bermuda but eventually (maybe ??) cruising will resume from the US and we'll have to see how that is handled.

I hope they have a no exception policy, regardless of whatever documents one has. 

[bouhunter]

1 hour ago, bstel said:

hell, if I got COVID on a cruise, from a passenger that lied about the vaccine, I would try and sue the individual as well

1.  You would never know who lied

2.  You would never know for sure where you got covid

3.  You would never be able to prove where you got covid

4.  No lawyer would take that case

 

[coffeebean]

3 hours ago, HUNKY said:

I will be bringing my vaccine card and the receipts from the pharmacy that administered the shots.

 

Yes you need a test before returning to the US.

Hubby was vaccinated with both shots at a Winn Dixie. He did not receive any receipts. The shots were free of charge. He did get the CDC vaccine card filled out with all the appropriate information.

[coffeebean]

3 hours ago, Sky616 said:

Yep, I;ll be getting one.

Seriously? Are you proud to profess that?

[Stallion]

4 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

Great news for the fake vaccine card sellers.  😉

 

If you plan on using a fake vaccine card, make sure you read closely the travel documents that most casually ignore. I betcha there will be some declaration, certification or verification on documentation from Bahamian Customs and Immigration that states something similar to the federal declaration, certification  and verification statute that I saw on some US Custom and Immigration form in tiny letters at the bottom which essentially states as follows at the link

 

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/1746

 

I think it would be ludicrous to present a fraudulent vaccination card which could be easily proven to be false. It also constitutes a breach of your cruise contract section on documentation.

 

 

Edited April 21, 2021 by Stallion

[dswallow]

18 minutes ago, Stallion said:

 

If you plan on using a fake vaccine card, make sure you read closely the travel documents that most casually ignore. I betcha there will be some declaration or verification on documentation from Bahamian Customs and Immigration that states something similar to the federal declaration and verification statute that I saw on some US Custom and immigration form in tiny letters at the bottom which essentially states as follows at the link

 

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/1746

 

 

 

Much is spelled out at 

Immigration Act (bahamas.gov.bs)

But after glancing through it, one would probably need to sit down and draw lines between various requirements spelled out and punishments associated with those violations, but in general it seems up to either 12 or 24 months of imprisonment and/or fines up to $3,000 from what I saw amidst the many things that someone would be guilty of by making just a falsified declaration.

[boscobeans]

1 hour ago, coffeebean said:

Hubby was vaccinated with both shots at a Winn Dixie. He did not receive any receipts. The shots were free of charge. He did get the CDC vaccine card filled out with all the appropriate information.

The shots ARE NOT FREE. Someone pays, whether it is a local, State or Federal payee or some form of insurance whether private or part of Medicare. 

Like almost every form of medical treatment, records are and MUST be kept for dozens of reasons.

No drug or injection is dispensed or injected without records as to Name of drug, manufacturer, dosage, lot #, expiration date and PATIENT'S NAME along with where, when and who dispensed or injected the medication.

..

Try forging one of these that NY is issuing...

Edited April 21, 2021 by boscobeans

[sunshinetricia]

Thanks for sharing this information. Hopefully they will have worked out a system before we need it in August! But it does take one thing off my list (trying to find a place where we can get tested AND have the results back in the exact timeframe).

 

I'm guessing it will just be a part of that Bahamas Health Visa we are going to need to travel there? For that you are just uploading "a copy of your test results" and showing them to them when you got there. People could try to cheat that system the same as trying to present a fake vaccination form. Either way we are at the mercy of people doing the right thing. But it's better than nothing. 

[Stallion]

1 minute ago, sunshinetricia said:

Thanks for sharing this information. Hopefully they will have worked out a system before we need it in August! But it does take one thing off my list (trying to find a place where we can get tested AND have the results back in the exact timeframe).

 

I'm guessing it will just be a part of that Bahamas Health Visa we are going to need to travel there? For that you are just uploading "a copy of your test results" and showing them to them when you got there. People could try to cheat that system the same as trying to present a fake vaccination form. Either way we are at the mercy of people doing the right thing. But it's better than nothing. 

Yeah I just read the Bahamas Health Visa and there is definitely a declaration at the bottom that the application and information given is true and correct. It will probably need to be revised for the use of vaccination cards. It wouldn't let me copy here. 

[dswallow]

1 minute ago, Stallion said:

Yeah I just read the Bahamas Health Visa and there is definitely a declaration at the bottom that the application and information given is true and correct. It will probably need to be revised for the use of vaccination cards. It wouldn't let me copy here. 

Bahamas Travel Health Visa